====== Lemon-Spice Visiting Cake ======

===== Ingredients =====


  * Butter and flour for the pan
  * 1 1/2 cups/190 grams all-purpose flour
  * 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  * 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  * 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  * 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  * 1 1/4 cups/250 grams sugar
  * 1 large (or 2 small) lemons
  * 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  * 1/2 cup/120 milliliters heavy cream, at room temperature
  * 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  * 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  * 75 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  * 1/2 cup marmalade, for glaze (optional)
  * 1/2 teaspoon water, for glaze (optional)

====== Instructions ======

  - Center a rack in the oven, and heat it to 350. Butter an 8½-inch loaf pan (Pyrex works well), dust with flour and tap out the excess. (For this cake, bakers’ spray isn’t as good as butter and flour.) Place on a baking sheet.
  - Whisk the 1½ cups flour, baking powder, cardamom, ginger and salt together.
  - Put the sugar in a large bowl, and grate the zest of the lemon(s) over the sugar. 
  - Squeeze the lemon(s) to produce 3 tablespoons juice, and set this aside. \
  - Using your fingers, rub the sugar and zest together until the mixture is moist and aromatic. 
  - One at a time, add the eggs, whisking well after each. 
  - Whisk in the juice, followed by the heavy cream. 
  - Still using the whisk, gently stir the dry ingredients into the batter in two additions. 
  - Stir the vanilla into the melted butter, and then gradually blend the butter into the batter. 
  - The batter will be thick and have a beautiful sheen. Scrape it into the loaf pan.
  - Bake for 70 to 75 minutes (if the cake looks as if it’s getting too dark too quickly, tent it loosely with foil) or until a tester inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer to a rack, let rest for 5 minutes and then carefully run a blunt knife between the sides of the cake and the pan. Invert onto the rack, and turn over. Glaze now, or cool to room temperature.
  - For the glaze: Bring the marmalade and water to a boil. Brush the glaze over the top of the warm cake, and allow to it to set for 2 hours. The glaze will remain slightly tacky.
  - When the cake is completely cool, wrap in plastic to store. If it’s glazed, wrap loosely on top.